C. elegans at RARAF

C. elegans nematode is a well-established research tool suitable for radiobiological studies. With a transparent body that can be easily observed under a microscope, it has a relative small diameter (50 µm) and can be completely traversed by the charged particles generated at the Columbia microbeam whose maximum beam penetration is 450 µm. The picture above illustrates a young C. elegans images on our end station using combined illumination for oblique and RFP excitation in the neurons.

C. elegans Irradiation Sample Experiment

An intital irradiation experiment irraiating the head of a worm results in a heat shock response throughout the whole worm 24 hours after irradiation. This experiment is a basic experiment looking for whole body response to irradiation. We are developing techniques to target individual cells in the worm and/or organ systems with integrated observation for acute radiation responses.

C. elegans Immobilization for High-Throughput Irradiation

We are developing microfluidic worm clamps to hold worms in a specific orientation to the microbeam for high throughput irradiation. A single channel system is diagramed on the left above. On the right, is a single worm clamped over the microbeam in the 4th channel on a multi-clamp chip. Many clamp channels can be put in parallel on a single microfluidic chip allowing worms to be irradiated in an automated, rapid manner.

*Bertucci, A., Pocock, R.D., Randers-Pehrson, G. and Brenner, D.J. Microbeam irradiation of the C. elegans nematode. J Radiat Res (Tokyo) 50 Suppl A: A49-54, (2009). PMCID: PMC2950932. [abstract] [PDF]